The Healing Elixir
by HannahMiley1fan
Summary: Lilly witnessed the murder of her parents when she was just twelve years old. She has a hard time moving on with her life and leans on her best friend Oliver for support. They develop feelings for each other but then something terrible happens. Who will comfort and help her heal after all the grief? Eventual Liley! [Some Loliver in the beginning]
1. Chapter One

_I got the urge to write a new story, and I think it'll be interesting. As usual, some bad things happen to Lilly (I'm always so mean to her) and she's lost and broken. (blah, blah, blah, what else is new?) Anyway for the first few chapters, it will be a bit of Loliver, but eventually it'll turn into Liley! Obviously this will be due to something horrible happening, but you'll have to read the story to find out what that is. :) I promise this is going to be a Liley story! I could never put Lilly with someone else. Well okay, maybe for a little while but not forever. Anyway, please read, review, and give me some feedback. Four reviews would best, so I have a little bit of knowelege on if I should continue this story or not. Thanks! (: And I'll probably update Buttefly Girl before this one, so read that story too!_

The Healing Elixir

Lilly Truscott was only twelve years old when she witnessed her mother and father die. Someone had gotten into their house during the night, trying to rob them, but her father heard what was going on and went in the room to have a look. The robber, dressed in black and a mask over his face, tied him up to the couch before continuing to rummage through their belongings. Soon after Lilly's mother came down the stairs, to fetch herself a glass of water, and screamed when she saw what was happening. She was tied up too, and made to watch the evil man rip apart their house. All of the loud noises and screaming of her parents, woke Lilly up and she ran down the stairs to see what was wrong. She felt herself become weak and frightened, looking at the two tied up adults with tears in her eyes. Then, in slow motion it felt like, she watched the man pull out a gun and shoot both her parents right in the head. Even though that alone had been enough to kill them, he chose to shoot them, again, in the chest. Satisfied with himself, he turned to look at the frightened child and smirked, "You're next, little girl." By then, Lilly had already been halfway to the door and ran out as fast as she could. She never entered that house again, and had recurring nightmares of it every night.

A year later, at the age of thirteen, Lilly was living with her best friend, Oliver Oken, and his family. They took her in just days after it happened; Oliver's parents didn't want her to have to deal with being thrown around from foster home to foster home, and besides that, she was already like a daughter to them. It had been very hard for her to cope with the loss of her parents, especially since she had witnessed the whole thing. No matter what they did to try to make her feel better, it never worked. She felt completely lost and alone.

The first day of school had been just a week away and Lilly couldn't care less. She didn't find a reason to care because her parents were no longer there to praise her for her hardwork or nag on her to do her homework. And aside from that, the only real friend she had was Oliver. All the other students either acted like she didn't exist or would pick on her.

Oliver's mother, Kate, was preparing dinner in the kitchen as she looked out to the living room where Lilly sat emotionless on the couch. A sigh escaped her while she turned to her son, who had been busy glancing through one of his favorite comic books at the dining room table. "Oliver, why don't you and Lilly go outside and take a walk? It's a beautiful day out and I really think it'll do the two of you some good." She suggested, tired of watching her son's best friend moping around the house all the time.

"I guess," was Oliver's annoyed mumble as he shut his book and walked into the living room. His annoyance faded into sadness when he saw how depressed his best friend looked. Ever since the loss of her parents, Oliver knew she would never be the same. "Lils, wanna go outside? It's nice out and we can just stroll around the neighborhood." He asked, placing a comforting hand onto her shoulder as he waited for a reply.

Lilly shrugged her shoulders, not really caring what they did. It wouldn't make her feel any better. The only thing that would was if her parents were to come back and she knew there was no chance of that happening. Silently and without emotion, Lilly followed her best friend out of the house and down the street. She didn't say a word during their walk; there had been nothing she could say.

Oliver sighed, he really hated to see his best friend so depressed. Before the inicdent, Lilly had been the most energetic and cheerful person he knew. But now, she barely even spoke to him...or anyone for that matter. He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her softly. "It'll get easier, Lil; I promise. Let's just enjoy our walk, and maybe later we can head on up to the skate park." The two continued walking, mostly in silence, when they came across a house with a moving truck in front and a girl, about their age, struggling to lift a box from the ground. He decided the two of them should go on over and help her out. (And introduce themselves as well)

"Hi there," Oliver spoke, a friendly smile on his face as he and Lilly walked over to the girl. "Would you like some help lifting that box?"

The girl turned to them, sparkling blue eyes meeting up at his and then to Lilly's; she smiled. "Why I would really appreciate that. I'm Miley, by the way, just moved here with my dad and brother." Her voice clearly seemed to have an accent, and her face displayed a genuine happiness. She stared at Lilly, when they weren't looking, and right away she could see that something wasn't right about her. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to pry into other people's business. Something she was all too well known to do.

Lilly said nothing, continuing to nudge at Oliver's shirt. She hated that he always had to stop and talk to people. Especially when he dragged her along. The shaggy haired teenager smiled brightly, ignoring his friend's plea to leave. "Nice to meet you Miley, I'm Oliver and this is my best friend Lilly. We live just a couple houses down," he explained then walked over and lifted up the box from Miley's weaker arms. "Where do you want me to put this?"

Miley was surprised to see that he could handle such a heavy box, but then rolled her eyes as she realized how natural it was for guys to be stronger. She made her way to the door and held it open for him, "Just place it on the floor in the living room; my daddy will figure out where it goes later on." She watched as he walked into the house, then waited for Lilly to follow but she hadn't. "Come on there Lilly, you're welcome to come in too..." Miley gently offered, but got nothing in response. Not knowing what to do, she stood there to wait for Oliver to come back out.

About a minute later, he reappeared and gave an apologetic smile towards Miley. "Sorry, Lilly's just a bit shy around new people. Why don't you join us on our walk? Maybe if you and her get to know each other, she won't be so quiet around you." He knew that wouldn't happen though as Lilly refused to talk to anyone, but he didn't see the need to make the new girl feel bad.

The three of them walked around the neighborhood for hours. They talked the whole time, Miley and Oliver that is, and decided to head down to the beach for a little while. Oliver led them to a quiet part of the beach where they could enjoy the sunset and have a nice conversation. Lilly turned away from them, not wanting to be apart of their little group. She hated listening to people talk; she hated everything anymore.

Miley looked at Lilly, who sat a few feet away from them, then at Oliver with confusion and concern. "Is there something wrong with Lilly? She seems to be a bit...I don't know...frightened?" She knew she should have just kept her mouth shut, especially since she had only met the two of them a few hours ago, but she couldn't help herself. Lilly's behavior really intrigued her and she was dying to know what the cause of it had been.

Oliver sighed silently, glancing over at his blonde haired best friend and then back at Miley. He didn't know if he should tell her or not what happened to Lilly... He felt it wasn't his place to do so, but he also hadn't want the new girl to think poorly of his best friend. "Well, I'll just tell you that my best friend's been through a lot in the past year and it's changed her...for the worst. I'm not going to say what happened, because that wouldn't be fair to Lilly. But maybe one day, if the two of you become friends, she might talk to you about it. Don't push her on it though, she's not one to give in to pressure." He looked down at his hands, hoping she'd still want to be friends with them. He knew that's exactly what he and Lilly needed.

Miley smiled to herself as she prepared her room for her and Lilly's monthly sleepover. It had been two years since they first met each other and after months of trying to befriend the broken girl, she finally allowed it to happen. Of course, their friendship wasn't nearly as close or as strong as Lilly's and Oliver's but it was much closer than Miley thought possible.

Too busy in her thoughts, she failed to hear her dad yell up and jumped a foot in there when she heard her door open. Quickly her shock turned into a smile as she saw Lilly slowly walk into her room. "Hey Lilly! Didn't hear my daddy yell up," she chuckled softly, her southern accent had faded quite a bit in the past two years. No one could hardly tell that she was from Tenessee. "Just throw your bag in my closet for now, I was thinking that we should go down to the beach for a little bit. What do you think?" She smiled happily when she saw an enthusiastic nod from the other.

After a peaceful walk to the beach, they finally arrived and decided to get a bag of chips to share from the small snack shack on their way. Miley placed a towel gently onto the sand, before taking a seat beside her friend. She smiled over at her as she opened their bag of chips. "I'm so glad you could make it today, we haven't had a sleepover in a while."

Lilly half smiled as she reached in the bag for a chip. "Me too. As much as I love hanging out with Ollie, it's great to spend time with a friend who's a girl for once." She spoke, looking over at Miley. It really was nice to finally have a friend of the same gender; she never had one in the years before her parents' passing, so it meant a lot to her. "Maybe Oliver should come over to hangout with Jackson sometime... They both seem to be into video games and whatnot. And I'm tired of Ollie making me watch him play his stupid games all the time!"

"Sounds like a brilliant idea!" Miley laughed, taking a chip for her herself. She truly was grateful to finally get Lilly to open up and allow their friendship to form. Especially as all the other girls at their school seemed stuck up and rude. "So what should we do this weekend, Lil? Wanna go see a movie tomorrow? Or maybe we can go to the mall?"

The other girl shrugged, munching down on a few more chips. She wasn't one to make plans that often. Even though it had been three years since she lost her parents, she still found it very hard to go on with her life. But she seemed to be improving; she wasn't just an emotionless lump anymore. And that made everyone close to her feel much happier. "Mmmm...how about the mall? Haven't been there in a while. Ollie's not a big shopper," Lilly let a small laugh out as she peered over at her new friend. Maybe things were going to get better. She thought to herself.

The two teenage girls spent a good two hours at the beach before finally heading back home for supper. Robbie Ray, Miley's father, had just finished getting dinner on the table when they came in and he gave a cheerful smile to them. "Why it's good to see you again, Lilly. I've cooked up some steak and deliciously-seasoned red potatoes for supper. Do you like that Lilly? Mile wasn't much help when I asked her what you like to eat." Miley just gave him a playful smirk when he said that before she and Lilly took a seat at the table.

"Oh, yeah," Lilly slowly started, that was one of her parents' signature dishes and it broke her heart to know that they would never be able to cook it again. "My mom and dad used to make that all the time for dinner, it was one of my favorites..." Her voice trailed off with every word, because she knew she'd start crying if she talked about them too much. And the last thing she wanted was to cry in front of Miley and her father.

Miley and Robbie shared a sympathetic look, not knowing what to say. The chestnut haired girl gently grabbed one of her friend's hands, giving it a comforting squeeze, "Well, my daddy sure makes a good steak. I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Lil." She gave her an encouraging smile, not wanting to say anything about the girl's parents. She knew if she did, it would make Lilly feel worse and could possibly even shut her down again.

Her father didn't say a word, just gave a sympathetic nod towards Lilly. He heard from his daughter that her parents had died, but he didn't know the whole story and he hadn't felt it was his place to say anything. Instead, he gave a sad smile to the young teenager as he took a bite of his food. "Well, your brother seems to have found himself a girlfriend. So he's taken her out tonight, which means you girls will have the whole house to yourself seeing as I've got some errands to run after dinner." He hoped that would lighten the mood, as he knew the two would love the alone time. He just prayed they wouldn't burn down the house while he'd been gone.

"Sounds good, daddy," Miley perked when she saw Lilly nod with a slight smile. "We'll probably just watch some movies and chat. And don't worry, we won't make a mess."

A little while later, after Robbie left for the evening, Miley and Lilly had been sat on the living room couch as they talked with the television playing quietly in the background. "So, Lils, I've been meaning to ask you this; do you like Oliver? I mean like him, like him? You two are so close with each other and it's been eating away at me to know!" She questioned, patting the other's hand in encouragement.

"Do I like Oliver?" Lilly repeated the question, thinking of how to answer it. She knew she couldn't live without him, that's for sure, but did she like him? Maybe she did start to develop some feelings toward him, other than loving him as her brother. He'd always been there for, and they had grown much closer since she lost her parents. "Hmm, you know, I've never really thought about that... I've always loved Ollie; he's been there for me since almost forever! I don't know, though, if he'd ever feel the same way about me... What do you think, Miley? Would it be strange if he and I started dating?"

Now, Miley had to take a moment to think about it. Deep down, she knew she'd hate to see anyone with Lilly, which was a thought that concerned her...But she wanted Lilly to be happy and she could easily see that the girl had truly felt something towards her best friend, Oliver. So she smiled and shook her head, "Oh, no, of course not. I think the two of you would make a cute couple, Lil. And I can put a bet on it, that Oliver feels exactly the same of you. You oughta tell him, Lil, don't wait. You never know when that chance will be taken away."

Another month had come and gone since then, Lilly still hadn't bundled up the nerve to tell Oliver what she felt towards him. And it was beginning to get harder to hide her feelings from him. She took a deep breath, and glanced at her reflection one last time before heading down the stairs. Today, she silently thought, today she was going to sit Oliver down and tell him how much she deeply loved him.

Lilly walked into the living room, smiling to herself when she saw the boy she secretly loved playing his favorite video game. She gently sat beside him, silently observing his every move. Her breathing poured into the shaggy-haired teen's ear; he paused the game then turned to face his best friend. "Hey, Lils. What's up? You wanna play?" He asked, ready to hand her another control. When he saw her shake her head, he began to grow concerned. "Are you okay, Lilly?" He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in for a comforting embrace.

"I'd like to talk to you about something, Ollie," she spoke quietly, enjoying being in his strong arms. She battled, silently in her mind, over whether or not she should continue with telling him about her feelings. She figured it'd be best to just do so and get it over with. Maybe he would like her back. And the only way she'd ever know was if she told him.

Oliver became concerned; he stood up from the couch and had Lilly follow him out the door. They walked down to the beach, sat in their favorite secluded spot, and he reached over to hold the blonde's hand. "Is everything all right, Lil?" His voice full of concern and worry as he peered into his best friend's sparkling blue eyes. He hoped and prayed that she wasn't becoming depressed again; he didn't know if he could handle her losing her cheerful spirit again.

Lilly exhaled deeply, squeezing the strong hand that held hers tightly. "Yeah, everything's fine..." She started, still unsure of if she should say anything. She looked up into his dark eyes, seeing the concern and worry that they held. "Ollie... Uhm, I, uhm...what would you think, if I said that I might ...kind of... love you? Like, I mean _love_ you. Soulmate kind of love..." Too afraid to see what his expression was, Lilly bowed her head down. What if he hadn't felt the same way? She would have wasted her time pouring out her emotions to him.

Hearing his best friend of twelve years confess her feelings towards him, made Oliver's heart swell. He knew from the day the two met, even only in pre-school, that he really loved Lilly. He could tell that there were something building between, and it certainly wasn't just friendship. A gentle smile spread across his face as he pulled Lilly into his arms, "I would think that I love you too, Lilly. I've always loved you, ever since we met in pre-k and you stole my crayons. I knew that we were meant to be, but I didn't want to say anything because after your parents' passing, you were so broken. I didn't want to cause anymore emotions to build in your mind. But now that you've found that you feel the same way, I'm so happy Lil. I've always dreamt of this day, but never thought it would actually happen." He ran his hand, lovingly, through Lilly's long blonde hair and smiled softly at her. "I love you too, Lils."


	2. Chapter Two

_I finally was able to sit down and work on the next chapter for this story. Since I finally finished Butterfly Girl, I will now be focusing on writing this story. So please read and review this, I really want to know what people think of this. And I promise this will be a Liley story, I have plans. But for now, it's Loliver. Just for a couple more chapters or so, until something tragic happens. And also I'm planning on writing a short little Grey's Anatomy story because I'm really obsessed with that show right now! And I hate that my two favorite doctors were killed off, so that's why in my story they won't be dead. Anyway, please read this and leave some reviews. Thanks :)_

Chapter Two

Friday night had Lilly up in the bathroom getting ready for she and Oliver's first date. For once, in the past three years, she finally felt normal again and even happy. Knowing that Oliver loved her back and wanted to take her out made her feel like the luckiest person in the world. He _always_ made her feel so special. She smiled to herself as she finished applying her make-up, then quickly got her outfit on. It took a good half hour for her to make a decision on what to wear, and she couldn't be happier with what she chose.

Kate, who'd been busy cleaning around the house, stood in astonishment as she saw how amazing Lilly looked in her blue summer dress. "Oh, Lilly," she smiled, patting her hand, "You look amazing; Oliver will be speechless." She was very pleased to see that her son and Lilly shared the same feelings; as she had known a long while that he had been in love with the young girl.

Lilly had a glowing smile on her face as she patiently waited for Oliver to come down. She couldn't wait to spend a wonderful evening with the guy she deeply loved. The amazing guy who'd helped her through her grief over her parents' passing for the past three years. She would forever be grateful to him for that and love him for as long as they lived.

A few minutes later had Oliver rushing down the stairs, and he nearly fell when he saw how stunning his best friend looked. He slowly approached her, a smile forming on his face as he wrapped her in a hug. "You look amazing, Lils! Absolutely amazing." He gently ran his hand through her beach blonde hair before taking her to the car. It made him so happy to finally take the woman he'd been crushing on, for so long, on a nice date.

"Thank you, Ollie...You look handsome yourself, I must say." She beamed, wrapping her own arms around his neck. She peered up into his eyes and knew the two would last forever. They were made perfectly for each other.

Several weeks passed, and Lilly's happiness only grew. Finally, she felt her life was getting back to normal. It didn't hurt to wake up every morning, knowing her parents weren't there, as it used to. And her grades in school had started to go up. It also hadn't hurt that she was in an amazing relationship with her best friend in the whole world. Ever since their first date, the pair of them only became closer and happier. Even Lilly's friendship with Miley started to blossom. Of course it would never be close to the friendship she had with Oliver, but it was better than nothing.

It was a beautiful, warm Friday afternoon when the last bell rang to end the school day. And Lilly had plans to spend it at the beach with her best friend and boyfriend. That was something the three of them did almost every afternoon; going to the beach and enjoying each other's company. What better way had there been to start off the weekend?

"Thank god it's Friday," Oliver said as they sat down on the sand, beside Lilly. "I had a test in almost every class today!" How do teachers always seem to plan their tests for the same days? He silently wondered as he stared over at his friends, noticing how beautiful Lilly looked with the sun shining on her.

The two girls nodded in agreement. Lilly was glad the weekend finally arrived as she and Oliver had plans for a special date on Sunday, and she was spending the night at Miley's house until then. "Same here, school's been giving me a headache," she spoke, looking over at the ocean. She loved living within walking distance of the beach; she was born to be in water. The one thing that hasn't changed in her life, these past few years, had been her love for swimming.

Miley observed her two friends closely, and was glad to see that they were together as she knew how much Lilly had dreamt of it happening. And she loved to see the blonde so happy. "The two of you make such a lovely couple; it's so nice to see how happy you guys are together," the brunette smiled at them. And she meant it; it was quite easy to see how happy the two of them were together. They seemed to compliment one another.

Lilly smiled, looking from her friend to her boyfriend. She couldn't be more thankful for how her life had turned around the past couple of years. Even more was she grateful to know that Oliver shared the feelings she had towards him. "Well, we are very happy together," she replied, cheerfully. "Is there any guys you're crushing on in school, Miley?"

"Oh heavens no," The dark haired teen laughed, "I've gotta focus on school work, plus none of the guys in our class even appeal to my eyes." The last thing on Miley's mind was to start a relationship. She didn't have time for any of that, not when she wanted to keep her grades up to par. Besides, she enjoyed being single and not having to worry about another person's feelings. And if she did ever bring home a guy, her father would be waiting with a shotgun in hand.

When Miley and Lilly arrived back at her house, it was early evening and dinner had been waiting for them in the kitchen. Robbie had gone out for the night, on a father-son trip with Jackson, so they had the house to themselves. The two teenage girls made their way into the kitchen before warming up the pot of pasta sitting on the stove. Miley took out two plates from one the cabinets and divvied out a portion of pasta onto each plate.

Once each of them grabbed a plate and took a seat at the table, Lilly smiled and looked over at her friend. "Your dad always makes such delicious spaghetti! Are you guys Italian or something?" Both girls laughed as the dark haired one shook her head. "Well either way, it's still really good," Lilly stated. She was happy with how her life had been going. It felt wonderful to feel normal again and to have people that she cared about in her life.

Miley smiled back, pleased to see how much their friendship had grown over the last two years. When they first met, she wasn't entirely sure that Lilly would open up to her and let her in. But after much patience and some encouragement, Lilly slowly confided in her which helped their friendship tremendously. "So Lil, what do you think Oliver has planned for the two of you on Sunday?" She cheerfully asked, knowing how much those two were in love.

"Oh I have no clue," the other replied, "I think we're going to see a movie or something simple. Not that simple matters, spending time with Ollie is what makes our dates special...We could go on a walk for all I care and I would still be happy." A warm smile spread across her face; Oliver was her soulmate, she just felt it. Anytime she thought or talked about him, her heart fluttered with love and joy. He made her feel all tingly and warm inside; that's how she knew that they were destined to be together.

Seeing how much her friend's face lit up as she spoke about her boyfriend brought a smile of her own onto Miley's face. "Aww, well that is just precious. You two are so cute together, Lilly! Happiest couple I've seen. I'm really happy for ya, Lil. It's so nice to see you smiling as much as you've been." And she meant ever word; she was ecstatic to see how happy and joyous her friend seemed to be. She enjoyed Lilly's bubbly and fun personality.

Lilly smiled, pulling her friend into a big hug. She felt overly thankful to have made such a wonderful friend as the brunette. It was quite helpful to have someone she could talk to about her boyfriend or anything else that came to mind. "Thank you, Miley," she replied, squeezing her in a friendly embrace. "I just wish you had someone who could make you feel as happy as I feel. I know you said you're not looking for a relationship right now, but I feel bad that I'm always telling you about Ollie and how we love each other... Do you ever get tired of hearing me go on about it? I mean I understand if you do, you can tell me. It's no big deal."

Laughing, Miley wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and gave her a gentle pat on the head. "Lil, I love hearing about how you and Oliver's relationship is doing. You're my best friend and it makes me feel good to see how happy he makes you. Don't feel bad about that, there's no reason to! Seriously, I don't need a relationship right now and I don't want you to feel bad about that. I'm happy being single, and I love seeing you happy with Oliver. Your stories about you two never get tiring to listen to, Lils." She spoke in a perky tone as she continued to embrace her. As much as what she said made her mouth burn, Miley wanted Lilly to be happy and she knew that was Oliver's job. So she smiled and tried to be the best friend that Lilly needed her to be.

Kate Oken stood in the kitchen as she prepared dinner for she and her son. She looked forward to their evening alone, a chance that they could catch up and she could learn how his relationship with Lilly was going. In all honesty, she thought her son couldn't pick a better person to fall in love with. Lilly was a very sweet girl, she thought, and deserved someone like her son to love and cherrish her. She smiled happily as she finised cooking.

Moments later, Oliver came walking in and gratefully took in the aroma of his favorite meal. "Smells wonderful, mom," he said with a grin. He reached into one the cabinets to get himself a glass and then poured a can of Root Beer into it. "After we eat dinner I have two important things I'd like to discuss with you." Two things he had been thinking about for the past few months now. One he knew his mother would be ecstatic about, the other he wasn't too sure.

"Of course, Ol." Kate smiled at her son, before making them each a plate of the enchiladas she baked. After they both sat down at the table to start in on the meal, she peered over at the shaggy-haired teen. It was hard to believe that he'd been sixteen years old already. She remembered the day she brought him home from the hospital; he was the tiniest baby she'd ever seen. "What two things do you need to talk to me about?"

Oliver swallowed his food, looking up at his mother. He contemplated in his mind about which to speak about first. He figured he'd rather discuss the one he knew she'd be okay with first, to get her in a good mood and less likely to deny him of what he wants to do with his life. "Well first thing is...I really love Lilly, mom. I mean I _love_ her, I want to spend my whole life with her kind of love. I was thinking of proposing to her, when we go on our date this Sunday. What are you thoughts, mom? And I don't plan on marrying her until we graduate high school, maybe not even right then. But I do want to propose to her now." He glanced at his mom, sincerity in his eyes as he nervously waited for a response.

It surprised the older woman to hear that her teenage son had been thinking of marriage so soon. But that also made her realize how mature he was becoming and how deeply in love he'd been with Lilly. She nodded her head and smiled at him, "I think that's very sweet, Oliver. And Lilly will be very lucky to have you as her husband someday. She will definitely say yes! I'm so happy for you, I know how much you love her. Now what else is it that you want to discuss? Oh God...you didn't get her pregnant, did you? Is that why you want to propose to her so soon?!" She frantically worried, hoping her son didn't impregnate a sixteen year old girl.

Chuckling, the shaggy-haired teen shook his head. "No mom, Lilly's not pregnant! What I want to discuss with you now has nothing to do with her. I was thinking about what I want to do after high school...and I think I want to join the army. I really have this gut feeling telling me that I need to enlist in the arm when I'm eighteen. I know you're not going to like that but, mom, I want to do it and I need to do it. Please don't be against my choice..." He pleaded, really hoping that she wouldn't try to talk him out of it. He felt this to be his calling and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Oh...wow, Oliver. I never knew you wanted to join the army," Kate spoke, her facial expression showing signs of refusal. The thought of her little boy joining such a dangerous profession made her feel a bit queasy. "I think if that's what you really want to do after high school, you need to discuss that with Lilly. If you're going to marry her, then she needs to be included in that decision."

_Alan Truscott woke up to the sound of someone going through their items, so he quickly and as quietly as possible made his way downstairs to see what the problem was. When he saw the sight before him, he felt his heart pounding out of his chest. Cautiously he walked closer to the man, "Excuse me, sir...But what are you doing in my house? And why are you touching my things?" His question only aggravated the robber, who turned to him with a gun._

_ The robber had dark blonde hair, emotionless black eyes, and a thin beard. He roughly pushed Alan to the ground and tied his hands around his back. Then he swiftly dragged him over to the couch, throwing him on it and stuck a sock in his mouth to keep him from screaming. "You let one noise outta your mouth and I'll shoot you. Got it?" He took out his gun and held it to the other's head._

_ Alan's wife, Laurel, came down the stairs to get a glass of water when she noticed what was happening in her living room and grew frightened. Her legs became numb and her hands shook as she looked at her husband. "What-what are you doing to my husband? Why-why are you in our house?" Her voice shaking, she tried to run to the kitchen to get a phone but soon felt herself being pushed to the ground and her hands being tied to her back. Tears filled her eyes as she desperately prayed to God._

_ "Shut the fuck up!" The man hissed, placing a sock in her mouth as well and throwing her on the couch. He looked around the room to see if he could find a knife, but didn't. He glared over at his victims, "Move from that couch and I'll torture you forever." He hurriedly ran into the kitchen and grabbed a stake-knife from the drawer. When he went back into the living room, he grinned, an evil, twisted grin. He looked at Alan first and then started putting the knife into his chest, smiling at the sound of his yelps and screams. "Your wife can witness how her life is going to end!"_

_ Laurel sobs as she watches her husband scream in agony, she feels her heart breaking inside her. She prayed and pleaded for this to just be a nightmare. She didn't want to watch her husband die...especially not in this way. And then her hear broke even more when she noticed her daughter standing in the doorway, watching with a horrifying expression. How she longed to get up and pull her daughter into her arms. _

_ Lilly watched, stiff and fearfully, as a stranger brutally murdered her father. She looked at her mother, tears streaming down her face, and braced herself for what was going to happen next. She opened her mouth to scream, "L-Leave-Leave my-my pare-parents alone! Go away!" Tears ran down her cheeks as she watched the man continue to stab her father and then moved onto her mother. She cried, screaming for him to stop. "NO! DON'T KILL THEM!"_

Lilly woke up, covered in sweat and shaking, "Please don't kill them..." She spoke, disoriented and confused. She looked around at where she was, realizing she was at Miley's house sleeping in the bed beside her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she really hoped that she hadn't waken her friend, she couldn't bare to discuss what she'd just witnessed. The memory of her parents murder brought chilling tears to her eyes, she hated that sight.

Unfortunately for Lilly, Miley awoke seconds later and sat up beside her. She looked at the blonde, who seemed so frightened and timid sitting beside her. "Lilly, what's the matter? What's wrong sweetie?" Miley's voice questioned soothingly as she wrapped her arms protectively around her friend's waist, pulling her in for a comforting embrace. In all the sleepovers the two of them had, never once did she recall Lilly's waking up in the middle of the night like then.

"N-nothing..." The blonde lied, looking around the room. "I-I just had an awful dream, that's all. It felt so real." She couldn't talk to her friend about the nightmare, it would bring back all the pain and grief. And right now, Lilly really didn't want to relive that tragedy. It was too painful and heart-shattering. The agonizing screams of her parents made her want to cry for eternity.

The taller girl sighed sadly, holding her tight while also stroking her back. "You wanna talk about it, Lil? Please don't be afraid to tell me what happened, I want to help you and be here for you." The only response she got was Lilly's head shaking furiously and tears pouring out of her eyes like a water fountain. "What can I do to comfort you, sweetie? I don't like seeing you this upset." She wondered softly, rubbing soothing circles around her back as she peered sympathetically into her eyes.

Lilly couldn't think of an answer, she didn't think anything could help her forget the vivid nightmare she just had. The yells and screams of her parents haunted her continuously. "My-my parents...are, they're de-dead..." She whispered, as if believing it for the first time. She cried so hard she thought her eyes would dry out and shrivel into raisins. Her parents were dead. They were killed by a man she didn't even know.

Miley felt her heart ache for her friend; the pain that Lilly must have had inside of her brought deep symapthy to her. She couldn't even imagine what it must be like to not have either of her parents with her. The thought of it made her want to cringe. Gently she lay the two of them down, placing her friend's head onto her chest as she run her hand soothingly through her hair. "I know, sweetie, I know... I'm so sorry, Lil; so, so sorry! Why don't you try to go back to sleep, okay? I'll hold you all night, if that'll keep you from having another nightmare. It's gonna be okay, honey, I promise." She wrapped the blankets around them and then pressed a comforting kiss to the other's forehead. And she hoped to God that Lilly wouldn't have another nightmare again, that night.


	3. Chapter Three

_Well I was in the mood to write this evening and so here's the next chapter! I made some things happen...bad things, as I promised, and now Lilly is going to have some grieving to do. And may or may not need her best friend, Miley, there to help her cope with whatever happened. I don't know what happened, so you need to read the chapter and find out. Let me know in the reviews what happened, please! Thanks :) Read, review, and eventually a new chapter will come out...and maybe Liley will appear! But only if you review this (:_

Chapter Three

Sunday evening Lilly was dressed in a beautiful ocean-blue sundress, her haired tied back into a long and neat pony-tail, and her face done lightly in make-up. Oliver would be coming by to take her on their date, at around six o'clock, which gave her an hour to anxiously wait around. She looked in the mirror for the millionth time before heading downstairs to sit with Miley until her boyfriend came. Six o'clock couldn't come soon enough, the blonde thought to herself.

Miley smiled when she saw her best friend come downstairs. "Well don't you look lovely, Lilly? Oliver will be stunned! That sundress looks amazing on you and suits you perfectly," she gushed happily for the other. Although Lilly could be in sweats and still look absolutely perfect, Miley said in her mind. She shook the thought away as the shorter girl took a seat beside her on the couch.

Smiling ecstatically, Lilly squeezed the brunette in a friendly embrace. It meant a lot to her that Miley had been so happy about she and Oliver's relationship. "Thank you, Miley; This dress is my favorite and Ollie loves blue!" She exclaimed, her voice squeaky and full of cheerfulness. Life had become such a pleasure to her these days, as she got to spend it with the man of her dreams and a best friend that couldn't be any better. When she heard the doorbell ring, she jumped up immediately and nearly ran to it to open it.

"Hey Ollie," She beamed, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "Mmm, you smell good...What kind of cologne are you wearing? And you look absolutely handsome tonight!" Lilly's smile grew as she seen the tuxedo he had on; she'd hardly ever saw him wear one so it surprised her quite a bit.

Oliver smiled back, wrapping his own arms around her waist and pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. He couldn't wait for her to see the restaurant that he reserved for them to go to, and ask her the important question he planned. "It's your favorite, Lils. And you look gorgeous, yourself. I love that dress on you, it makes you glow even more!" He spoke, before grabbing her hand and leading her to his car. "I think you're going to love where we're going!"

After making it to the restaurant and being seated at a booth that was near a water-fountain in the shape of a heart, Lilly grinned happily over at her boyfriend. "This is really beautiful and nice, Ollie," she reached across the table to grab his hand and squeezed it in her own. It made heart melt that he had planned to take her to such a stunning place, "And I adore the fountain we're near!" Her smile grew larger as she stroked his knuckles with her thumb.

Oliver took the hand that was holding his and brought to his lips, kissing it lovingly. "After dinner, I'd like to take you on a walk. They have a beautiful garden surrounding the outside of this, and I want you to see it." He said, smiling at her. He couldn't wait to see the garden with her and propose to her afterwards. Lilly meant everything to him and he knew that were destined to be together. They were created for each other, he knew that since the day he met her.

Dinner came and went, leaving both Lilly and Oliver completely stuffed. A walk around the garden sounded perfect them right then; it would help them to digest the lovely meal hey just enjoyed. They held hands as they walked slowly around the garden, taking in the beautiful surroundings and the delight of being together. Lilly lifted her head to peer up at the dark haired teen and smiled, "I love you so much, Ollie, and this has been such a beautiful evening."

Hearing that only made Oliver more excited to ask her the question. "I love you too, Lils." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder while they continued to walk around. Once they got back to the beginning, he stopped and let go of her hand. She gave him a look of confusion but he just smiled back at her. He then, slowly, kneeled on one knee and took out a tiny box from his coat pocket. "Will you marry me, Lilly?" He asked, watching as tears started to form in her eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes," Lilly cried out, throwing her arms around him and squeezing tightly. "I will definitely marry you, Oliver!" Tears of joy started streaming down her cheeks as she watched him place the ring on her finger. She couldn't believe that he had just proposed to her; that he had loved her so much that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Her heart swelled with warmth and love at the thought of marrying her childhood best friend.

Eighteen years old, the age of adulthood and the legal age that one can vote for office. Also the age of Lilly Truscott who had just graduated from high school with her best friend and her fiancee. She couldn't believe she finally made it to adulthood and that she got through school with nearly straight A's. An accomplishment that she knew would make her parents very proud. She was very happy with herself for doing so well and excited to be going to college with Miley in just a few weeks. But she was not happy that Oliver had decided to join the army for the next three years. In fact she'd been furious that he had made such a decision, a decision that will most certainly put his life in danger.

"Why are you doing this Oliver?!" Lilly questioned in anger, placing her hands on both hips, "Why are you doing something that could possibly get you hurt or even killed? The army is dangerous, Oliver, and I really cannot lose you! There's no way I can wake up, one night, and hear that my fiancee is dead! Please Ollie...I already lost my parents, I do not want to lose you; the man I plan to marry after college!" Her anger turned into fear at the thought of losing another person she loved so deeply.

Oliver sighed as he wrapped his arms gently around his fiancee. He kissed the top of her head lovingly, stroking her hair softly. "Lilly, I'm not going to die! I promise! But you are not talking me out of this; it's my calling. I need to be in the army! And you need to go to college with your best friend. And when I come back, in three years, we will have our wedding. On the beach, where you've always wanted it!" He spoke softly against her ear, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a tender kiss to her lips. "I love you so much, Lil!"

The day before Lilly and Miley were to be moving into their dorm, they spent at the airport with Oliver as he waited for his flight to Iraq. Lilly hated that he was leaving for the army and hoped to God that nothing bad would happen to him. There was no way she could go through the death of another loved one. Miley felt bad for both of her friends, but especially for Lilly. She knew how hard it would be for her to be away from the love of her life for so long.

When Lilly walked away to use the bathroom, Oliver looked at Miley. He gave her a sad, friendly smile. "You're a great friend, to Lilly and to me. I'm glad you two are going to college together. Please look out for Lils for me. And just in case anything does happen to me...will you promise to take care of her for me?" He asked, his voice almost desperate for her to say yes. He really hoped nothing would happen, but if something did he needed someone to be there for Lilly.

"Of course I will, Oliver," Miley said, giving him a friendly hug, "Lilly's like a sister to me, of course I'll look after her while you're away. And I know nothing will happen to you, but if something does, I promise I will take care of her for you. I doubt you'll have much time to call her while you're down there, but if you do, you should because she's going to want to hear your voice once in a while. Or even if you're able to write a letter to her, she would love that."

Once the boarding number for Oliver's flight was called, Lilly felt tears well up in her eyes as she held onto him tightly. She refused to let him go; she didn't want him to be in the army and risk his life. "Ollie, please...please don't go! I can't live without you..." She cried, holding onto his shirt fiercly. "Don't leave...please don't leave me!"

Oliver felt his heart aching for her as he held her in a loving embrace. "Lilly, I'm going to be fine. I won't get hurt or die, please don't think like that." He kissed her forehead gently, trying to release the embrace. "You have to let go, Lil...I have to get on the plane. And you have to go home with Miley; you have a busy day tomorrow." He looked over at Miley pleadingly, hoping she would come get his fiancee from him.

The brunette walked closer to them, gently placing her hand on Lilly's back. She hated that she had to pull her away from the man she loved. But she had to or else he would miss his flight. "Lil, you have to let him go...Come on, it'll be okay. You'll see him again soon," she spoke softly, carefully taking her from Oliver and holding her close as she cry out for him. They sadly watched as he walked away to board his plane. He gave them one last glance, waving, and then left. Lilly's sobs only grew louder and heavier as Miley held her tight, stroking her hair comfortingly. "It's gonna be okay, Lils. Let's go home and rest. Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day, sweetie..."

Finally carrying the last box into their dorm, the two young adults exhaustedly fell onto their beds. It took nearly all morning for them to lug their boxes and suitcases into the building. And they were happy to finally be finished; all they had to do now was put everything away. Which they planned to do after getting some lunch, in the cafeteria that was just down the hall from their room. Lilly groaned, looking up at the ceiling.

Miley sighed, staring over at Lilly. "Should we go get lunch, Lil?" She asked softly, waiting for her friend to respond. She knew the other had still felt upset about Oliver's leaving for the army. Not like she could blame her; people were killed every day in the army and Lilly had already lost her parents, losing her fiancee would cause her so much grief and pain.

Shrugging her shoulders, Lilly stood up and looked out the window. She watched as happy college students moved their things into their dorms. Happy couples enjoying the start of a new chapter together. Angry at Oliver for leaving, she punched the window fiercly. She hated that he chose to leave for the army, and that they had to spend the next few years apart from each other. "Oliver never told me about wanting to join the army! Never! We've been best friends all our lives and fiancees for two years, but did he ever say that he wanted to be in the army to me? No, he didn't! He wonders why I'm upset about this? Because he didn't even feel the need to share this damn dream of his with me...He waited until a month before to tell me. A month, ONE MONTH! Do you think one month is enough time for me to accept his plan to leave for the army? For three years, three long YEARS. Not just one year, or two years, but THREE. If he would have told me this when he first thought about it, maybe it wouldn't have hurt so bad when he left! At least then I would have had more than one lousy, shitty month to prepare for it!" Angry tears fell down her face as she curl onto her bed, turned away from Miley. She was furious with Oliver, for leaving and for making this happy occasion into a dreadful one.

The amount of pain Miley heard in her best friend's voice about broke her heart. She gently went over to her and lay beside her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She soothingly ran her hand through the long blonde hair that lay amongst Lilly's back. "I'm so sorry, Lil...I'm sorry he didn't tell you sooner." The brunette whispered softly, hoping to comfort her somehow. She absolutely hated to see her friend so upset, "Why don't we just lay here and rest for a little. And then we'll get our things put away, how's that sound sweetie?" Gently, she gave a motherly kiss to the top of her head. She continued stroking Lilly's hair, until she finally fell asleep.

Classes began that Monday, and Lilly almost had to force herself to get up and go. She never stopped worrying that something would happen to Oliver. She clutched her phone in her hands all night long. Once she was showered and dressed, she slowly made her way out of the dorm she shared with her best friend. She walked down the hall, nearing the exit, when Miley came over to her and looked at her worriedly. "Lilly...you need to eat before you go to class..." She spoke softly, pulling her near the cafeteria, the opposite direction of where she was headed.

Sighing, Lilly reluctantly followed her. Though, honestly, she couldn't find it in her to eat any food. That was the last thing on her mind; all she could think of was how much danger her fiancee was in. And how angry she was at him for choosing the army. "Miley, I'm just going to get a coffee... I don't have much time for food, and really, I'm not even hungry."

Miley gave her a stern look, "You need to eat something, Lilly. It's the first day of classes and you need to be able to focus. Skipping breakfast will not help you focus! So you are going to get in line and get some food, _real_ food. And I will not let you leave this cafeteria until you eat every bit of your meal." Her feautures softened quickly though as she gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "It's gonna be okay, Lilly; I promise. Oliver will call you whenever he has the time, or even write you a letter."

After Lilly reluctantly finished her breakfast, which consisted of a banana and slice of toast, the two headed outside to get to their classes. When Miley arrived at the fine arts building, she stopped and pulled the other into a strong embrace. "I'll see you later, Lils. We'll meet for lunch around one, since neither of us have any classes then. Try not to worry too much about Oliver, okay sweetie? He doesn't want you to, he wants you to focus on your courses and enjoy college." She soothed, stroking her hair softly, "And if you're getting upset, please text me." She gave her one last squeeze, smiling softly at her, and then walked in the building for her class.

Sighing, Lilly slowly walked down along the sidewalk to her own class. She looked down at the ground, hoping so badly that Oliver would be fine in the army and that nothing would go wrong. She could not afford to go through another death; her heart and emotions couldn't withstand another downward spiral.

A year and a half passed since Oliver's leave for the army and Lilly still feared for his life. Though college seemed to be going very well for she and Miley, their friendship grew stronger everyday and they were nearly inseparable. Miley religiously kept her promise to Oliver, and looked out for Lilly all the time. Making sure she ate three meals a day, focused on her courses, and didn't mope around too much. She even got her to join the bowling club that took place every Saturday.

Saturday morning had both the girls' awaken and head down for their usual breakfast in the cafeteria. Lilly got her usual Mocha Latte and banana with toast, while Miley got her usual Vanilla Cappuccino and Cinnamon Oatmeal. They sat down at their favorite table near the huge window, and chatted as they always done. "Ready for our bowling game today, Lil?" Miley asked, smiling at her as she took a sip of her coffee.

Lilly nodded as she took a bite of her banana. Bowling turned out to be her favorite sport, even though she was horrible at it. She didn't care though, she enjoyed doing it for fun. Even if her team suffered because of her. "I sure am. What about you, Miley?" She smiled, wiping her face and then taking a sip of the latte. It was fun to be able to be a part of a club with her best friend.

"I'm always ready for it," The brunette laughed lightly, glad to see how much Lilly enjoyed bowling. She enjoyed it as well, and turned out to be the best player on their team. Not that that mattered to her, she just did it because she knew how much her best friend wanted to do it. "I bet we'll win, because you're so good," she said, even though she knew Lilly was terrible. But she wanted to make her feel good about playing, and not everyone on their team felt the same way about her. They tried to have her removed, but Miley threatened to leave the team with her...and they didn't want that.

Laughing and shaking her head, Lilly looked at her friend happily. "We will win...but not because of me, because of you. You're the best bowler on the team, Miley! I know I'm bad, you don't need to lie about that. It doesn't bother me, I just enjoy bowling and being part of a club. But thanks for making me feel good about sucking at it!" She smiled, taking another sip of her coffee.

Miley smiled back, happy to see her smiling so much. She loved how cheerful and bubbly Lilly could be; it reminded her of their high school days. "You may suck to everyone else, but I still think you're a great bowler, Lils. And you're a great friend; I'm so happy we're best friends, Lilly, you mean so much to me."

Oliver saw a bullet come flying at him, in slow motion almost, and even though he tried to dodge it, it still came at him and went right into his chest. The minute it made contact with him, he screamed out in infuriating pain. The pain was so bad that he wished he could pass out and not feel it. He had a very high pain tolerance, but this was a whole different level of pain. It felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest, one piece at a time. Blood poured out of him as if he had waterfall inside of him; within minutes his body had been surrounded by a pool of blood. He felt numb at this point, and thought of Lilly. God, how much he hated that she would be left without him. That made him hate himself for not listening to her; she knew this would happen and he ignored it. Taking one last breath, he quietly whispered, "I love you Lilly, and I'm so sorry for leaving you..." His body became limp as the blood kept getting thicker around it.

Hours after the bowling tournament, Lilly's phone began to ring. She felt her heart flutter happily when she saw Oliver's name show up. "Hey Ollie! How is it down there? I really miss you," Lilly's voice was very chirpy; it had been almost six month since she'd last heard from her fiancee. She anxiously waited for his voice to speak up, she had so much to tell him and wanted to know everything that was going on down in Iraq.

"This is not Oliver," a deep voice spoke, belonging to Oliver's army friend, Seargent Owen Kent. "I'm a friend of his down here...and well, something tragic has happened to him. You're his fiancee, Lilly, right?"

Lilly felt her heart nearly drop out of place when she heard another man's voice on the other line. Gulping, she realized that her biggest fear was coming true. "Y-yes, I am his f-fiancee... What-What's wrong with him?! He said he would be fine down there and that he wouldn't get hurt! Why-Why are you using Oliver's phone?!" She began breathing harder, pacing the room frantically as she nervously wait for his response.

Just then Miley came in the room and stopped erruptly when she saw how distraught Lilly was. Immediately she pulled her into her arms, holding her tight as they waited for a response from the Seargent. "I hate to tell you this, Lilly...but your fiancee is... he's dead. I found him a little bit ago; he was lying on the floor covered in a pool of blood and he had no pulse. I'm so, so sorry!" The man answered, which only caused Lilly to become more upset. She hung up her phone and threw it across the room.

Miley tightened her arms around her, rubbing her back comfortingly. She felt terrible for her best friend and couldn't even think of she could comfort her. The woman just lost the love of her life; her soulmate and now she was left without him. "Oh Lilly...I am so, so sorry sweetie! I'm so sorry, Lilly!" She softly soothed, holding her tight to try and stop her shaking. "Shhh, shhh. Let it out, sweetie; let it out. It hurts you so deeply, I know honey! He was your soulmate and the love of your life! I'm so sorry this happened!" She rocked her softly, wrapping the blanket around them. Trying to comfort Lilly, she rubbed her back and pressed a kiss to her head, "Sleep, Lilly. You need to sleep, baby. Tomorrow, we're going back home and we'll figure what to do next. Just sleep now; I'll be right here with you, all night." She whispered softly into her ear, eventually lulling her to sleep by continuously stroking her back.


	4. Chapter Four

_I've finally found some time to finish writing up this chapter. I actually started working on it after I posted chapter three, but then the semester started for me and I was too busy trying to do that. But luckily I am all finished, aside from one last final this coming Tuesday... So from now until end of August I will be free to work on my stories...unless I procrastinate, which I am excellent at! :D But I promise, I will try my best to work on some of my stories. So please read, review, and yeah. :) Thanks! Enjoy...or maybe not enjoy, because this chapter is quite sad...Anyway, bye._

Chapter Four

The drive back to Malibu was a long and gloomy one for Lilly as she sat silently in the passenger seat, leaning against the window. She couldn't believe how her life changed so drastically in just twenty-four hours. And it angered her that her fiancee failed to keep his promise. He failed to stay safe, and failed to always be there. She couldn't even think of how to go on with her life when the man she was supposed to spend it with died. How was she going to get past that? Her heart and emotions weren't able to deal with anymore grief or stress. No way could she live without her soulmate. Slowly she opened her car window, sticking her head out to look around her, and wanted so badly to roll the window up and end her life. But she wouldn't, not with Miley sitting right beside her, watching her every move.

"Lilly..." Miley soothed, peaking over at her as she drove, "How are you feeling, sweetie? You haven't spoken much this morning. Please talk to me, you can't keep your emotions bottled up; that will only make you feel worse." She place a hand softly atop Lilly's, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'm here for you, Lil; I'll help you through this, just let me know how you're feeling and what I can do for you. I'm worried about you, sweetie pie."

Lilly kept silent, continuing to stare out the window. She knew her friend was just trying to make her feel better, but nothing could make the numbness and emptiness go away. Nothing could bring back the love of her life. "You want to know how I feel?" Her voice barely above a whisper and filled with such a sorrow that it could turn sunlight into a whirling thunderstorm. "I feel like the life was sucked right out of me and all that's left is an empty shell." Right then she felt a few raindrops land on her arm and reluctantly closed her window.

Oliver's funeral was to be held that Sunday, and that made Lilly feel even more numb. She didn't want to see his body so lifeless and broken. She had a strong fear of the deceased, especially after witnessing her parents murders back in her youth. He wouldn't look like himself, she knew, and that brought a huge pain to her heart. She loathed the choice he made to join the army; she had a feeling that his decision would end up in a tragedy. And it angered her that the feeling she had came true.

As she sat outside, on the back porch of Miley's house, she blankly watched the birds fly around their garden. Nothing felt normal anymore; she had no parents and now she had no soulmate. Her family was taken from her and all she had was her empty and numb self. She didn't know what to do with herself; she had no home anymore, no parents, no Oliver; she had nothing. Where could she go? Where was she going to live?

Miley watched her from the kitchen, not knowing how to comfort her best friend. She couldn't even believe how quickly a simple phone call would change their lives forever. Her best friend lost the love of her life, and she lost a good friend. How was that even real? It felt like a horrible nightmare. A nightmare that would last the rest of their lives. Sighing sadly, she decided to go out and sit with Lilly. She didn't want the girl to be alone right now.

"I'm here, Lil, if you want to talk about anything." The brunette softly spoke, sitting beside her and wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Please sweetie, don't keep it all inside...Tell me how you're feeling and what I can do to comfort you. You're my best friend and I want to be here for you. I don't want you to suffer alone." She felt her friend's body faintly tremble, which made her pull her in to a soothing embrace.

Tears were desperate to drip out but Lilly refused to let them. She wasn't ready to believe that her fiancee had passed away. Her heart couldn't take anymore grieving. "I have nothing left...no home or parents, no Oliver." The blonde spoke, hardly any emotion in her voice. She really hadn't felt that there was anything left, only her grief and empty life. Sure she had her best friend, but she couldn't burden her forever. There was no way she would do that, especially because every person who meant something to her ended up leaving.

Miley shook her head sadly, pulling her friend closer. Hearing how the other felt as though she had nothing left to live for about broke her heart. "Honey! That's not true! You have a home right here, Lilly...You're my best friend; you are always welcome here! Please don't feel that way, sweetie...I don't want you to feel that you aren't welcome, because you are! And you will stay here with us. Why don't we go inside? You need to go rest, Lil. It's gonna be a very long day tomorrow, sweetie."

Morning came, the sun shone brightly through the window as Lilly slept in her friend's bed. It was half past ten and her fiance's funeral was due to start early that afternoon. Something she hardly had the energy to deal with. Within a few minutes, her body began to stir and a gloomy groan was let out. She, very slowly, got out of bed, making her way to the bathroom so that she could quickly shower. How she loathed to be back home only to say goodbye to the person she had planned to spend her life with.

Miley and Robbie Ray sat at their kitchen island, each sipping on mugs of hot coffee. "I don't know how Lilly's going to react today. Having to see her fiance lying lifeless in a casket, and dealing with all the stares. What can I do to help her, daddy?" She glanced over at her loving father, knowing he'd always be there to give advice. And she needed that now more than ever.

Placing his mug on the counter, he gave a sad smile to his daughter, "All you can do is be there and support her, bud. It's not going to be easy today, not for anyone. But having you there with her will certainly help her feel more at ease." He stood up from his seat and walked over to Miley, pulling her in for a strong embrace. "You've gotta be strong for her, Mile...Which I know you will be, you're a wonderful best friend to her."

After getting dressed and running a brush through her long blonde hair, Lilly quietly went down the stairs and into the living room. She could see Miley and her dad sitting in the kitchen as they finished their coffee, but didn't feel like joining them. She could not bare to talk to anyone right then, all she wanted was some time to think. So carefully, she walked out the front door and sat on the porch. She listened to the birds chirp, watched as cars drove up and down the road and children playing down at the neighborhood playground. None of it brought any joy or cheer to her heart, only more numb and empty feelings.

She looked a few houses down, where she spent her more recent years living with Oliver and his family, and saw his mother outside greeting a few of her relatives. Lilly felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of her fiance's mother having to lose her own son. Her heart ached even more, if that was possible, and sobs just overtook her. Nothing would ever be the same for Lilly; she could never go back to her fiance's house, not when she'd see his mother and be reminded of how much he looked like her. And the realization of knowing that she lost no only Oliver, but also her second parents. The ones who took her in after her own were tragically murdered in front of her, six years ago.

"Oh Lilly," Miley's voice soothed as she walked over to her and scooped her into a tight embrace. She stroked a hand gently through Lilly's long hair, wishing she could find a way to ease her pain. "I'm here for you, Lil...Tell me what I can do to help you. Please sweetie, let me comfort you. You can't go through this alone; you need a friend. So whatever will help you through this, just let me know love." She whispered, holding her sobbing friend as tight as she could. It really broke her heart to see and hear her in that much pain.

The funeral home, which was only a few miles down from their house, kept filling with more and more people. Lilly felt her stomach flipping inside her as she stood at the back of the room, not being able to bring herself to look at her fiance. The thought alone made her feel queasy. She watched as others, many who hardly even knew Oliver, wept and mourned him. It almost angered her to see that, because she knew they didn't really care. They just came to show their face, not because they actually knew Oliver or spent any amount of time with him when he was alive.

She tried to walk closer to the casket, but her feet were frozen in place. No matter how much she tried, they wouldn't budge. A pair of arms wrapped soothingly around her and they were a very familiar pair of arms, ones that helped her through the loss of her parents. "Lilly, sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Kate asked softly, holding her son's fiance close to her. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this again, sweetie! It's going to be so hard and painful, for all of us but even more for you. I know how much you loved my beautiful son, Lilly...And oh how much he loved you! You two were so perfect for each other; I _hate_ that he was taken from us." She cried, but squeezed the blonde tighter, and pressed a motherly kiss to her head.

Lilly could barely get out a word with how much she was crying, but she enjoyed the embrace the older woman offered and squeezed back just as tight. Kate always did act as a second mother to her, and she would always love her for that. "I-I'm s-s-so sorry that you-you lost your so-son... I-I don't want this to be reality...Please let this just be a nightmare; I-I c-can't-can't live without Ollie!" Tears clouded her vision as they fell down her cheeks in vicious swarms.

Hearing how broken and distraught Lilly was only made Kate cry more, she held her close as she began to rock her. "Oh Lilly, baby girl...I wish this was only a nightmare...but it's not. Our Ollie is gone and we can't bring him back, but he will always be watching over us and he will never stop loving you. He's in our hearts, Lilly, and will be forever." She spoke gently, patting her back to comfort her. "Let's go say goodbye to him, Lilly. I know how hard it will be and how much it's going to hurt, seeing him this way, but I'm going to come with you sweetie. You don't have to this on your own."

Shakely, Lilly followed Kate to the casket. She felt more tears come bursting through her eyes as she neared where her lifeless, motionless, fiance lie. Her feet stopped and she shook her head violently, "No...No! I'm not-I can't...Oliver's not dead! There's no way he can be dead; he promised me that he would be okay! There has to be a mistake! Maybe someone mistakened the body as his, but it's someone else's!" Her face smothered with tears as she shake vividly with sobs. She wasn't ready to face the harsh reality of a life without her true love, and she certainly wasn't ready to say goodbye to him. She ran as fast as she could out of the funeral home, wanting to get as far away from it as possible.

Rain poured down on her as she ran through the parking lot and into the woods, where she collapsed onto the ground with her sobs overpowering her. Being at the funeral home only made things seem real, and she didn't want any of it to feel real. She wanted to wake up and have everything go back to normal. She wanted to be able to call Oliver and hear his voice; she wanted to know that he was alive and doing well. Knowing, though, that she could do none of those things only made the sobs come out stronger.

Minutes later had her best friend come running to her, pulling her up from the muddy, rainy ground, and wrapping her in a strong embrace. She rocked her softly, running a hand soothingly up and down her back. "I'm so, so sorry you have to go through this baby...So sorry!" Miley whispered, holding her tight while trying bring some sort of comfort to you. "I know it's extremley painful to deal with this, but sweetie you have to say goodbye to him. You'll regret it if you don't... I know you can't see that now, because it hurts so much, but you will hurt even more if you don't tell him goodbye. So let's get you calmed down, and then I'll take you back in there so you can do what you need to do, Lil. And as soon as you do that, we can go home. Okay sweetie?" She kissed the top of her head comfortingly.

Lilly, trembling and exhaustingly, looked down at Oliver. His skin pale and drained of all life, her tears dripped down her cheeks and into the casket with him. "Wake up, Ollie...Please. I don't want to live without you!" She sobbed, her hand shakely reaching down to touch his. She shivered; it felt nothing like him, cold and stiff. "I love you s-s-so-so much, Ol-Ol-Oliver...Please come back, I need you! Your parents need you; don't leave us! WAKE UP! Please wake up!" She started to sob harder and louder, squeezing Oliver's limp hand as tight a she could. She wouldn't leave that spot until he woke up. Even though she knew he would never wake up, he would be asleep for eternity.

The people who waited, behind her, to say their goodbyes watched in sorrow. Miley, who had been standing beside her the whole time, tried to gently pull her away but failed miserably. "Lilly, honey, you have to let go...He's not in there anymore; no matter how much you beg and plead, he's not waking up...I know that because I did the same thing at my momma's funeral. I stood by the casket, pleading for her to wake up until my daddy dragged me away. Come on, sweetie, let go of his hand...I know it's hard, baby, but you can't stay there forever." She spoke in a warm and comforting voice, wrapping her arms around her from behind, hoping to gently pull her away from the casket.

Several hours after the funeral, Miley lay beside Lilly, who was miserably crying at the realization that her fiance had really been gone. He would forever be asleep, and never wake up again. The thought only brought more tears to the blonde's eyes. Miley held her close, rubbing comforting circles around her back, hoping to ease some of the pain. "Honey, you should sleep...or try to, at least. It's been a long and rough day for you, it will only get harder until it gets easier." She kissed the top of Lilly's head, then soothingly placed it onto her chest while also wrapping the blanket around them. "I'm so sorry, Lilly...I really hate to see you in so much pain, and I want to take it away so bad, but I know nothing I do can bring Oliver back for you. I wish I could bring him back for you... My poor Lilly."

Clutching tightly to Miley's shirt, Lilly looked up into her eyes with pain but also a hint of thankfulness. "Miley," her voice tearfully spoke, "I'm-I'm sorry too...You-you lost a best-best friend... I'm sorry!" Her voice cracked into sobs as she squeezed her friend tight, letting her tears fall onto her. As much as she hated the pain of her fiance's death, and how she longed for him to come back, she was also so grateful to have Miley with her, and loved her so deeply for being one of the best friends she'd ever had.

"Oh, baby doll, we're going to get through this...together, I promise." Miley kissed her head lovingly, "I love you so much, sweetie. Get some sleep, I'll be right here with you." She pulled her closer, while stroking her hear softly until they both drifted off into sleep.

Miley woke up the next morning to hear her best friend's heart-wrenching cries, but saw that she wasn't in her room. Frantically worried, the brunette quickly jumped out of bed and hurried to find her. "Lilly, sweetie, where are you?" She called out as her crying grew louder. She entered the bathroom and saw Lilly curled into a ball as she lay sobbing on the cold floor. Miley frown empathetically down at her, "Oh honey, come here! Come get in my arms, darlin'...It's gonna be okay!" She wrapped her arms protectively around her distraugh best friend, scooping her off the floor and holding her close.

Lilly cried harder, holding onto her best friend for dear life. "It's never going to be okay! I'm never going to see Ollie again...NEVER! I've known him my whole life, Miley; there's never been a day where I haven't seen him...How the hell am I going to survive without him? Please tell me how I can possibly do that...It's painful enough without my parents, but now I also have to live here without the love of my life?! I don't-I just don't understand, Miley...Can you tell me what - what I did wrong? What did I do to make this happen?" She desperately looked into Miley's soft blue-gray eyes.

Hearing that her friend was starting to think that his death was her fault had Miley holding her even tighter. She shook her head, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. "You did _nothing_ to cause any of this to happen, Lilly! You better not even think that, baby girl! Oliver was in the army, sweetheart, and sometimes things like this happen in the army. Unfortunately he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's why he passed away..._NOT_ because of anything you did, my precious friend. Don't even think to blame yourself, Oliver would never ever want you to!" She spoke very firmly, not wanting Lilly to blame herself for the death of her fiance. "I know it's painful for you sweetie, but I will be here for you, through everything; I will never leave you, love. I promise you that, darlin'." Miley cradled her broken, grieving best friend close in her arms, wishing terribly that she could find a way to ease her pain. She would do anything, anything she could to help her through this tragic time.


End file.
